The first to fourth patent documents, identified below, disclose worn articles, such as disposable diapers and underpants, that are stretchable in the around-the-torso direction, and methods for producing the same.
[First Patent Document] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-286279
[Second Patent Document] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-80023
[Third Patent Document] Japanese National Phase PCT Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-500684 (WO97/47265)
[Fourth Patent Document] Japanese National Phase PCT Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-510349 (WO96/03952)
The first patent document discloses a worn article having a stretchable side panel, which includes an extensible sheet and an elastically stretchable hot-melt adhesive.
The second patent document discloses a method for producing a worn article having a side panel formed with a material that is extensible in the direction (the CD direction) perpendicular to the flow direction of the sheet.
The third patent document discloses a method for producing a worn article having a side panel formed by cutting a material extensible in multi-directions in a non-wasteful manner.
The fourth patent document discloses a method for producing a worn article having a side panel formed with a material stretchable in the CD direction.